French 3.0: The Next Generation

by admin34 | June 20th, 2014

Report predicts the rise of French by 2050

Since Language Magazine’s last report on the ongoing, public debate over the importance of French (“French on the Menu,” March 2014), the prediction that French may be the world’s most-spoken language by 2050 (based on research by Natixis, an investment bank) has spurred media reports across the world challenging the suggestion.

The prediction that French will be spoken by 750 million people by 2050 is based on the fact that French-speaking populations are growing faster than English- and Mandarin-speaking ones.

French has made much progress since the 18th century, when it was spoken by only about half of those living in France. It will see considerable growth in Africa, where learning it is no longer confined to schools. It is a pity that the language is disappearing from the American classroom; we will be behind the curve. Fortunately something has just been developed to defend French programs in the US:

Want to predict the future? Analyze what people are saying now!

Language is the march of empires. Learn to be aware of developing situations
as they occur. For instance, we printed in:
August 2007: Moscow Moves to Promote Russian Half of Ukrainian
citizens want legalization of Russian language;
May 2008: Possible One-State Language for UkraineJuly 2009: Ukraine House Speaker Calls for Acceptance;
October 2011: Russian language in Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova;
January 2012: Ukraine Language Policy Approved;
April 2012: Ukraine Considers Making Russian Official;
July 2012: Ukraine Passes Russian Bill amid Clashes